Positivism Flashcards
What is positivism primarily associated with in geography?
Scientific approaches
Positivism is linked to systematic knowledge and empirical methods in geography.
Why did early geographers align geography with science?
To gain credibility, prestige, and funding
This alignment was important for the development of the discipline.
What significant event occurred in 1948 regarding geography?
Closure of the Harvard geography department
The closure was due to a lack of scientific methodology in regional geography.
What transformation did the Quantitative Revolution bring to geography?
Turned geography into a systematic, empirical discipline
It aimed for generalizable knowledge and adopted spatial science.
What focus did human geography adopt during the Quantitative Revolution?
Measurable spatial relationships using Euclidean geometry
This shift was part of the broader transformation of the discipline.
Who is the founder of positivism?
Auguste Comte
Comte sought to create a stable society through systematic knowledge.
What are the three stages in Comte’s law of three stages?
- Theological stage
- Metaphysical stage
- Positive stage
These stages describe the evolution of societies in understanding the world.
What characterizes the positive stage of Comte’s theory?
Understanding the world through observation and reason
This stage leads to the development of natural laws.
What did the Vienna Circle contribute to positivism?
Refined it into logical positivism
They emphasized empirical verification and a unified scientific language.
What is the verification principle of logical positivism?
A statement is meaningful only if it is empirically verifiable or logically self-evident
This principle aimed to eliminate metaphysics from scientific discourse.
What criticisms emerged against positivism by the late 1960s?
- Quantification ignores human experience
- Power dynamics in knowledge production
- Reductionism and ‘physics envy’
- Thomas Kuhn’s critique
These critiques highlight the limitations of positivist approaches in human geography.
What does ‘physics envy’ refer to in the context of positivism?
Strict focus on universal laws undermining unique geographical processes
This term describes the desire for geographical methods to mimic the rigor of the physical sciences.
What is an example of positivism in geography from O’Loughlin and Witmer (2011)?
Analysis of violent events in Chechnya using geostatistical methods
This study exemplifies the emphasis on large datasets and quantitative spatial analysis.
What type of methods do physical geographers continue to employ?
Positivist methods
Empirical observation and mathematical modeling are key in studies like glacier changes.
What is a key conclusion about positivism’s influence in geography?
It remains influential, especially in physical geography and quantitative spatial analysis
Despite criticisms, it provides a structured, empirical approach to knowledge.
